By Staff Reporter
THE Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister, Felix Mhona Friday handed over high powered technology equipment as part of efforts to ease roads carnage.
The event saw the commissioning a fleet of 18 operational vehicles; Commissioning advanced brake roller testers for use by the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID); and handing over a donation of breathalysers sourced by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe for use by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
The deployment of the high-tech equipment comes ahead of the festive season holidays, when road accidents traditionally increase as a result of high traffic volumes on the roads, alcohol abuse, fatigue and reckless driving.
The roll out will also mark the first large-scale use of modern and high-tech road safety enforcement technology in the country and will be supported by a new fleet of operational vehicles for the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID), expected to be unveiled later this week.
The vehicles are expected to strengthen roadside inspections, enforce vehicle fitness regulations, and support joint law enforcement operations. In a statement, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development said the equipment and the vehicles will be handed over to both the police and VID officials by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona in Harare.
Minister Mhona said the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), working with the police, had finalised the procurement and technical specifications of breathalyzers and speed cameras.
The equipment, he said, will help authorities clamp down on drivers who violate speed limits and drive under the influence of alcohol—two of the leading causes of fatal crashes on Zimbabwe’s roads.
“These measures will strengthen a culture of road discipline, reduce accidents, and enhance public safety across the transport network,” said Minister Mhona.
“Road safety in Zimbabwe remains a critical concern, with rising incidents of road crashes affecting lives and livelihoods.”
He added that the Government had elevated road safety to a national development priority aligned with the SADC Road Safety Action Plan, the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), soon transitioning to NDS2.
